Air conditioning apparatus



Oct. 18, 1960 w. R. LYMAN 2,956,417

AIR CONDITIONING APPQARATUS Filed July 28, 1959 FIGJ. 4 w I 5 ,I2

ma mn- INVENTOR WALLACE R.LYMAN CQZQIVE A ATTORNEY United States PatentAIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Wallace R. Lyman, West Springfield, Mass.,assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., acorporation of Pennsylvania Filed July 28, 1959, Ser. No. 830,058

3 Claims. (Cl. 62-150) This invention relates to air conditioningapparatus, especially dehumidifiers, and more particularly to means forpreventing the condensate collected therein from overflowing itsreceptacle.

In the past, various means have been proposed for deenergizing theapparatus before the condensate overflows, some being of the liquidlevel responsive type and others being of the kind that are responsiveto the Weight of condensate collected, as is the present invention. Anumber of prior art weight responsive devices require the condensatereceptacle to occupy considerable space within the apparatus housing,thus sacrificing economical and compact housing construction. With thepresent invention, no such sacrifice is made; and the device is not onlydependable, but also permits the receptacle to be conveniently located.

The invention is particularly useful in low-cost type domesticdehumidifiers intended to be used in the cellar or basement of a privateresidence for maintaining acceptable humidity conditions within alimited zone. Broadly stated, such units comprise a casing which housesa refrigeration system that is electrically powered. A refrigeratedsurface, such as an evaporator coil, is exposed at an upright wall ofthe housing, preferably at the rear thereof, for extracting moisturefrom humid air brought into contact therewith. A container foraccumulating condensate formed on the refrigerated surface is furtherprovided, and this container is either positioned to catch thecondensate falling from the refrigerated surface or suitable means areprovided for collecting the condensate and delivering it to thecontainer.

According to the present invention, and in the interest of preventingcondensate from overflowing its container, the container is removablysupported adjacent an upright wall of the housing, preferably the rearone, for angular movement toward and away from this wall about ahorizontal axis. This axis is disposed above the center of gravity ofthe container. Further provided are means for biasing the container awayfrom the wall so that,

when empty, its center of gravity is horizontally displaced from avertical plane containing its axis of movement. The biasing means yieldsto progressive movement of the container toward the wall as condensateis accumulated in the container and increases the weight thereof. Thebiasing means includes, for example, a compression spring and a plateinterposed between the spring and the container, the biasing means beingmoved by the container from a first position in which the container isempty, to a second position in which the container is nearly filled.Serially connected between a source of electrical power and the meansfor refrigerating the surface on which condensate is collected is aswitch which is opened incident to movement of the biasing means tosecond position. With this arrangement, the dehumidifier is effectivelyshut down when the container is nearly filled, and in this way preventsfurther condensate from being accumulated and overflowing itsreceptacle.

The various objects, features and advantages of the invention willbecome apparent from the following description and claims taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing, forming a part of thisapplication, in which:

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view through a dehumidifier embodyingthis invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the dehumidifier;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a fragment of Fig. 1, showing theinvention in detail; and,

Fig. 4 is a schematic illustration of the switch and its associatedwiring.

As shown, the dehumidifier employs a refrigerating system that includesa motor-compressor unit 10, which pumps compressed refrigerant gas intoa condenser 12 through a discharge line 14. Refrigerant condensed by thecondenser 12 flows through a small bore expansion tube 16 into anevaporator 18. Vaporous refrigerant is returned to the motor-compressorunit 10 from the evaporator 18 through a suction conduit 20.

An outer housing or casing 22 of the dehumidifier houses themotor-compressor unit 10, the condenser 12 and a motor-driven propellerfan 24, the latter being adapted to draw air into the casing through aninlet 26 provided in a rear, upright wall 28 of the casing. Theevaporator 18 is mounted on the outer surface of the rear wall 28, as bysuitable brackets, and covers the inlet 26 so that air drawn into thecasing 22 contacts the outer surface of the evaporator. It should beunderstood, however, that the invention may be practiced by employingother kinds of refrigeration systems, including thermoelectric devices,so long as a refrigerated surface is provided which functions similarlyto the evaporator 18 for extracting moisture from the air by means ofcondensation.

As is the conventional manner, air drawn over the evaporator 18 by thefan 24 is cooled and the condensate falls into a collection trough 30which delivers the condensate into a portable container or receptacle32. Cooled and dehumidified air is propelled by the fan 24 past themotor-compressor unit 10 and through the condenser 12, from which partsheat is absorbed, and the air is then returned to the room in a drycondition and at a slightly elevated temperature. The left end of thecasing 22 (as viewed in Fig. 1) is opened to provide it with an airoutlet.

In accordance with this invention the container 32 is supported adjacentthe outer surface of the rear Wall 28 of the casing 22, in a position toreceive condensate from the trough 30, by means of a support member 34which is connected to the casing. The support member 34 has a bentportion in which is received, for pivotal support, a bail 36 formingpart of the container 32. The container is angularly movable about ahorizontal axis which, as determined by the support member 34 and thebail 36, is disposed above the center of gravity of the container, andpreferably parallel to the rear wall 28, for swinging movement of thecontainer toward and away from the rear wall.

One side wall of the container rests against a bend in a channel-likeplate 38 which is horizontally elongated and connected to the rear wall28 for pivotal movement about its upper edge. Thus, there is asubstantially fixed distance between the axis of swinging movement ofthe container 32 and the point at which the container contacts the plate38. An adjustable spring 39 is interposed between the rear wall 28 andthe plate 38 to urge the latter rearwardly about its upper edge. Thelower edge of the plate 38 extends through an elongated opening in therear wall and is bent downwardly, terminating interiorly of the casing22 for engagement with a switch 40 which is serially connected between asource of electrical power and the motor of the unit 10. The switch 40is mounted on the inside surface of the rear wall 28 and has itscontacts held closed when the lower edge of the plate 38 is pressed intocontact therewith.

As best seen in Fig. 3, the plate 38 contacts the container 32 and,under the force of the spring 39, biases the container rearwardly andaway from the rear wall for angular movement about the previouslydefined horizontal axis, and in fixed relation thereto, so that thecenter of gravity of the container is horizontally displaced anappreciable distance rearwardly of a vertical plane containing the axis.A horizontal component of the combined weight of the container 32 andthe condensate accumulated therein is directed opposite to the biasingforce of the spring 39, thus tending to compressively deflect thelatter. After the combined weight of the container and the accumulatingcondensate overcomes the initial compression of the spring, a furtherincrease in weight further compresses the spring 39 and the latterpermits the container to move closer to the rear wall 28. At the sametime that the container 32 moves, the lower edge of the plate moves awayfrom the rear wall 28 and removes pressure from the switch 40, whereuponthe switch contacts open and the motor-compressor unit is deenergized.

The container 32 may be removed from its support member 34 to be emptiedand replaced, at which time the switch 40 will again be closed and theunit 10 energized.

In order to render the device easily adjustable, in regard to the levelof water which must be reached to effect deenergization, the spring 39is mounted on a collar 42 which, in turn, is carried by a threaded boltmember 44 extending longitudinally of the spring through the rear wall28. The head of the bolt member 44 is accessible through a registeringopening 45 in the plate 38, large enough to admit the tip of ascrewdriver, so that the degree of initial compression of the springand, consequently the biasing force offered thereby may be adjusted toeffect deenergization at a higher or lower level of condensate in thecontainer 32.

With the present arrangement, the convenience of a practicable, low-costdevice of the type set forth may be included or added to dehumidifierswithout requiring enlargement of the casing.

While the invention has been shown in but one form, it will be obviousto those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but issusceptible of various changes and modificationswithout departing fromthe spirit thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A dehumidifier comprising a housing including an upright wall, arefrigerated surface, electrically powered means within said housing forrefrigerating said surface, means for conveying air into contact withsaid surface, a container for accumulating condensate formed on saidsurface, means for delivering the condensate formed on said surface tosaid container, means adjacent said wall connected to said housingremovably supporting said container for angular movement toward and awayfrom said wall about a horizontal axis disposed above and offset fromthe center of gravity of said container, means fixed in relation to saidaxis for biasing said container away from said wall, said biasing meansbeing movable by said container from a first position in which saidcontainer is empty to a second position in which said container isnearly filled, and a switch serially connected between saidrefrigerating means and a source of electrical power; said switch beingin open position for deenergizing said refrigerating means incident tosaid biasing means being in its second position, but otherwise heldclosed.

2. A dehumidifier comprising a housing including a rear wall, an exposedrefrigerated surface disposed rearwardly of said wall, electricallypowered means within said housing for refrigerating said surface, meansfor conveying air from which moisture is to be extracted into contactwith said surface, a container for accumulating liquid condensate formedon said surface, means for delivering the condensate formed on saidsurface to said container, means adjacent said wall removably supportingsaid container at the rear of said housing for angular movement about ahorizontal axis disposed above and offset from the center of gravity ofsaid container and generally parallel to said rear wall, means fixed inrelation to said axis and including a compression spring biasing saidcontainer away from said rear wall, said container growing heavier ascondensate is accumulated therein, said biasing means being movable bysaid container from a first position in which said container is empty toa second position in which said container is nearly filled, and a switchserially connected between said refrigerating means and a source ofelectrical power, said switch being in open position for deenergizingsaid refrigerating means incident to said biasing means being in itssecond position.

3. A dehumidifier comprising a housing including a rear wall, arefrigeration system including an evaporator coil exposed at said rearWall and an electrically powered motor-compressor within said housing,means for conveying air into contact with said coil, a container belowsaid coil for accumulating condensates formed on said coil and fallingtherefrom, means for conveying the condensate to said container, saidhousing having means at the rear thereof removably supporting saidcontainer adjacent the outer surface of said rear wall for angularmovement about a horizontal axis, said axis being disposed above andoffset from the center of gravity of said container and parallel to saidrear wall, means fixed in relation to said axis and mounted on saidhousing for biasing said container about said axis, said biasing meansyieldingly permitting movement of said container toward said rear wallunder the increasing weight of the container as condensate is accumlated therein, said biasing means being movable by said containerfrom a first position in which said container is empty to a secondposition in which said container is nearly filled, and a switch seriallyconnected between said refrigerating means and a source of electricalpower, said switch being movable by said biasing means to an openposition for deenergizing said refrigerating means incident to movementof said biasing means to second position, but being closed incident tosaid biasing means being in other positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,759,335 Weschler Aug. 21, 1956 2,811,842 Taylor Nov. 5, 1957

